Mobile communication terminal having multiple displays and a data processing method thereof

ABSTRACT

A mobile communication terminal includes a display unit comprising a plurality of displays, one of which being formed as a touch panel, and a controller for analyzing a signal inputted through the touch panel to determine whether movement distance of data satisfies pre-set conditions, and outputting a control signal for displaying the corresponding data through a different display region according to the corresponding result.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119(a), this application claims the benefit ofearlier filing date and right of priority to Korean Application No.10-2005-0089298, filed Sep. 26, 2005, the contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal and,more particularly, to a method for moving data between two or moredisplays, each of which implements a different operation, and a mobilecommunication terminal employing the method.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various types of mobile communication terminals have been developed inline with the advancement of technologies and consumers' demands.Recently, mobile communication terminals can be divided into folder typeterminals and slide type terminals. As the folder type terminals, dualLCD folder type mobile communication terminals which have LCD unitsprovided on both sides of an upper folder are widely used.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the dual LCD foldertype mobile communication terminal, and FIG. 2 is a perspective viewshowing the exterior of the dual LCD folder type mobile communicationterminal when its folder is opened. The dual LCD folder type mobilecommunication terminal 100 includes a sub-LCD 110 provided at an outerside of an upper folder 101 and an internal main LCD 120 provided at aninner side of the upper folder 101.

As illustrated, the sub-LCD 110 has a relatively smaller screen in sizethan the main LCD 120. The sub-LCD 110 is provided to display basicinformation in an idle state, promoting users convenience. For example,it displays field strength, remaining battery capacity, time and date onone screen. In addition, an icon informing of an incoming call orcorresponding simple message content when the dual LCD type mobilecommunication terminal receives a call can be displayed on the sub-LCD110. In this state, when a user opens the upper folder 101 as shown inFIG. 2, a call can be connected, and in addition, when a message such asa text message is received by the mobile communication terminal, an iconinforming of the message reception or corresponding short messagecontent can be displayed on the sub-LCD 110. In this case, when the useropens the upper folder 101, the received message can be displayed on themain LCD 120. If the user does not immediately open the upper folder,the icon informing of the arrival of reception message is continuouslydisplayed on the sub-LCD.

Meanwhile, a mobile communication terminal 200, which has a structurethat a main LCD 210 is provided on an upper folder 210 and a touch panel220 is provided on a lower folder 202 as shown in FIG. 3, has beenpresented. Generally, the touch panel 220 installed at a correspondingportion where a keypad is to be formed can display the keypad as shownin FIG. 4 as necessary. Namely, the touch panel 220 can output an imageof the navigation keys 221 and number keys 222 and perform the samefunction as that of the general keypad upon receiving signals inputtedtherethrough. The mobile communication terminal with such a structurecan solve a problem that may arise when the LCD is provided at an outerside and also resolve user inconvenience caused by a small image displayregion. When an installed file search function is executed by using themobile communication terminal, a stored data list is displayed. A folderor a file of the displayed data can be executed or selected on the touchpanel directly from a file explorer by using a stylus pen. In thisrespect, however, the function of the stylus pen is limited in itsinputting to such as tapping, double tapping, dragging & dropping.

The dragging & dropping is used to copy or move a file. Namely, two filesearches are executed on each display and a file desired to be copied isselected from one file explorer. A target folder is displayed on adisplay window of the other file searches and the selected file isdragged and dropped to the target folder.

However, the copying method can be possibly used only when the targetfolder and the filed to be copied are positioned together on the samescreen, and in a state that the displays are separately divided, thedragging & dropping method cannot be used.

In an effort to solve the problem, an end portion recognition techniqueis favorably employed. Namely, in case where data is copied or movedfrom one display to another display, when a dragging reaches an endportion, the data is moved or copied to the other display. However,application of this technique requires a complicate algorithm. Inaddition, in case that a menu or an icon is positioned far from an endportion, the menu or the icon must be moved (dragged) up to the endportion for user inconvenience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention involves the recognition by thepresent inventors of the drawbacks in the related art, as explainedabove. Based upon such recognition, improvements in processing databetween display regions can be achieved according to the presentinvention.

Certain features that may be part of the data processing method andsystem between display regions will not be described in much detail,merely to prevent the characteristics of the present invention frombeing obscured. However, such additional features may also be part ofthe data processing method and system of the present invention, as wouldbe understood by those skilled in the art.

Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a mobilecommunication terminal capable of processing data copying and/or datamoving between display regions, and a data display method using thesame.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobilecommunication terminal capable of sufficiently utilizing two displayregions, and a data display method using the same.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a mobilecommunication terminal capable of easily classifying stored data, and adata display method using the same.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a mobilecommunication terminal capable of easily checking stored data through asimple manipulation, and a data display method using the same.

One exemplary feature of the present invention is to provide a mobilecommunication terminal in which data selected from a touch panel can bemoved or copied to another display without employing an end portionrecognition technique.

Another exemplary feature of the present invention is to provide amobile communication terminal in which a control signal using a touchpanel displaying a data list is analyzed and then moved to anotherdisplay.

Hereinafter, the term ‘terminal’ is intended to refer to and covervarious types of communication devices that support mobility (or may befixed) and allows communication of information via wired and/orewireless interfaces. Examples may include mobile stations, userequipment (UE), handsets or PDAs, etc.

To implement at least the above feature in whole or in parts, thepresent invention provides a mobile communication terminal comprising: adisplay unit having a plurality of displays, one of displays beingformed as a touch panel; and a controller for analyzing a signalinputted through the touch panel to check whether movement conditions ofdata displayed on the touch panel are satisfied, and outputting acontrol signal for displaying the corresponding data on a differentdisplay region.

To achieve at least these advantages in whole or in parts, the presentinvention also provides a data display method of a mobile communicationterminal having a display unit including a plurality of displays, one ofthe plurality of displays being formed as a touch panel, comprising:analyzing a signal inputted through the touch panel to check whethermovement conditions of data are satisfied; and displaying thecorresponding data on a different display region.

The data display method of a mobile communication terminal furthercomprises checking whether data selected through the touch panel can bemovable.

In the data display method of a mobile communication terminal, data ismoved based on a dragging direction using the touch panel.

In the data display method of a mobile communication terminal, themovement conditions are determined based on a movement speed of thepointing device in contact with the touch panel, the length of contacton the touch panel, and pressure applied to the touch panel for morethan a certain time.

Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will beset forth in part in the description which follows and in part willbecome apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art uponexamination of the following or may be learned from practice of theinvention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realizedand attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a furtherunderstanding of the invention, are incorporated in and constitute apart of the application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention andtogether with the description serve to explain the principle of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior of a dual LCD foldertype mobile communication terminal in accordance with a related art;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the exterior of the dual LCD foldertype mobile communication when it is opened in accordance with therelated art;

FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing the construction of a mobilecommunication terminal in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exemplary view showing a keypad displayed on a touch panelformed at a lower folder in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the construction of themobile communication terminal in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the processes of a method fordisplaying data;

FIGS. 7 a to 7 j show various examples of outputting data on the touchpanel through a different display in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIGS. 8 a to 10 c show various examples of outputting data on the touchpanel through a different display in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary view showing a modification of a stylus that canbe applied in the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing the construction of themobile communication terminal in accordance with the present invention.

The mobile communication terminal in accordance with the presentinvention includes: a display unit 90 for performing a general displayfunction of a mobile communication terminal, a touch panel 80 formedwith a certain distance from the display unit 90, a memory 20 storingvarious information, a touch panel controller 60 controlling driving ofthe touch panel 80; a display controller 70 for controlling driving ofthe display unit 90; a signal input unit 50 for converting a signalinputted through the touch panel 80 into an electrical signal andoutputting it; a controller 30 for outputting a control signalcorresponding to the input signal provided through the signal input unit50; a timer 10 for providing a drive time information required forcontrolling of the controller 30; and a pressure sensor 40 for sensingpressure applied to the touch panel 80 and providing information on thesensed pressure to the controller 30.

The touch panel 80 displays a list of data stored in the memory 20according to a control signal. The signal inputted through the touchpanel 80 is transferred to the controller 30 via the signal input unit50. The controller 30 analyzes the input signal. If movement conditionsof data are met, the controller outputs a control signal for outputtingcorresponding data through the display unit 90.

In the construction of the present invention, one of the two displayunits is the touch panel, but in order to accomplish the objects of thepresent invention at least one or more display regions can be formed asthe touch panel. Namely, two displays can be all the touch panels, andtwo or more display units can be formed in addition to the touch panel.

Also, various types of memory means, such as RAMs, ROMs, hard disk typememories, flash memories, a GRAM (Graphic Random Access Memory), an SGAM(Synchronous Graphic Random Access Memory), etc., can be also applied tostore the moved or copied image for different types of image data (e.g.,SMS (Short Message Service), an MMS (Multimedia Message Service), agraphic message, a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting), etc.

In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the touch panel220 is formed on the lower folder 202 and the display 210 is provided atthe upper folder 201, but the opposite case can be also applicableaccording to the concept of the present invention. As well as theterminal including the upper folder and the lower folder centering on ahinge, the present invention can be also applied to a terminal whoseupper folder is slidably moved up and down so long as it has at leasttwo or more display regions.

For the sake of explanation, liquid crystal display (LCD) devices andsystems will be described, but the present invention is not intended tobe limited to LCDs, as various concepts of the present invention areapplicable to a wide variety of other display devices or equipments.Examples may include LCD screens, organic electro-luminescence (EL)display screens, light emitting diode (LED) screens, OLED (Organic LED)screen, plasma display screens, etc.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the processes of a method fordisplaying data. Of the two separated display regions, data of theterminal is displayed on the touch panel 80. An output form of data canbe a form of an icon, a menu, a folder or a file name (step S61).

A signal inputted through the touch panel is transferred to thecontroller 30 through the signal input unit 50. An icon can be selectedby fingers or by using a stylus pen. The controller 30 analyzes theinputted signal (step S62), and checks whether a selected menu is amovable menu (or icon) (step S63).

If the selected menu is not a movable menu (or icon), the controller canoutput no message or an alert message informing a user that he/she hasselected unmovable data. Here, the alert message may be provided in theform of an audible, visual, and/or tactile manner according toterminal's setup information.

If the user selected data is a movable menu or file, it is checkedwhether the signal inputted through the touch panel satisfies movementcondition. In this case, there can be various types of movementconditions for allowing movement to be made without a procedure ofrecognizing an end portion. Also, there can be two types of operationsof movement display. Namely, data on the touch panel 80 can be simplymoved onto the display unit 90 and displayed in an enlarged orreproduced form, or data can be actually moved.

First, whether an inputted signal satisfies a movement condition or notcan be determined based on a movement distance of data selected bycontacting fingers or a pointing device such as the stylus pen on thetouch panel 80. Namely, the length of drag is calculated, and if thecalculated length of the drag satisfies a pre-set reference value,corresponding data is displayed on the display unit 90. That is, itrefers to a case where the movement target data selected through thetouch panel is dragged by longer than a pre-set length. In a relatedart, when data is copied or moved to another display, the data must bedragged up to a particular region, disadvantageously. In comparison, inthe present invention, when data moves only by a certain length orlonger, it is regarded as copying or movement. Thus, an operation forsensing the particular region is not necessary.

In a different condition, whether the inputted signal satisfies amovement condition or not can be determined based on the length of aregion contacted on the touch panel. In a state that the stylus pencontacts on the touch panel, the pen is instantly moved for a shortinterval in a bouncing manner so an instantaneous speed exceeds apre-set value. The instantaneous speed is calculated by the controllerwhich has received the signal, which has been inputted through the touchpanel, through the signal input unit. In this case, the instantaneousspeed is calculated by using signals which have moved on the surface ofthe touch panel for a certain time. A movement speed is calculated bythe controller based on movement information of the pointing deviceprovided through the signal input unit and visual information providedby the timer. Namely, the movement speed is calculated through amovement locus of the pointing device for a certain time.

In a still different condition, pressure applied to the touch panel fora certain time is checked. Namely, an arbitrary menu or folder or a datafile name displayed through the touch panel is pressed by pressure ofabove a determined level. The pressure sensor 40 senses the pressureapplied onto the touch panel 80 and transfers it to the controller 30.When the pressure exceeding the certain pressure is continuouslyprovided for a certain time, it is regarded as movement of correspondingdata.

In a yet different condition, the number of times of pressing arbitrarydata by the pointing device is checked. Each condition can be selectedas a reference for determining movement, separately or collectively(step S64).

Thereafter, a direction of dragging is checked. The direction ofdragging is calculated by using information on movement of the pointingdevice provided from the signal input unit. Namely, the direction ofdragging can be calculated through a contact locus of the pointingdevice at each time point. In the case where the upper folder or thelower folder is divided into two display regions, the direction ofdragging is an important factor because a target region for an icon tobe moved can be changed. Movement can be made from the left to the rightor from the right to the left, or can be made upwardly at a left displayregion or downwardly at a right display region. There can be many casesfor them (step S65).

The controller outputs a control signal for moving data on the touchpanel to a display region positioned in the dragging direction anddisplaying it based on the calculated information. The signal inputtedthrough the touch panel 70 is transferred to the controller 30 throughthe signal input unit 50. Then, the controller analyzes the inputtedsignal and transfers a display control signal to the controller 70.Accordingly, the data of the corresponding folder can be displayed onthe display 90 according to driving of the display controller 70 (stepS66).

FIGS. 7 a to 7 j show various examples of outputting data on the touchpanel through a different display in accordance with the presentinvention.

FIGS. 7 a and 7 b show transfer of an image to a different displayregion by using the stylus pen in a state that an explorer screen isdisplayed on the touch panel formed on the lower folder. That is, thestylus pen is moved toward the upper folder at a certain speed. In thiscase, an arbitrary menu (or icon) is an image file name or adocument-stored file name. As shown in FIG. 7 a, an image of thecorresponding file is displayed on the upper folder, or as shown in FIG.7 b, content of the corresponding document is displayed.

FIG. 7 c shows an example of a display in accordance with a differentembodiment of the present invention. In a state that a plurality ofthumbnail type images are displayed on the display region of the lowerfolder formed as the touch panel, a crooked finger that is selecting anarbitrary image is put forth upward in a bouncing manner. Also, in thiscase, likewise in the case where the stylus pen is used, a thumbnailimage of the lower folder is displayed as a magnified image through thedisplay region of the upper folder.

FIG. 7 d shows a case that the lower folder display is implemented in ageneral computer. That is, the display region of the lower folder isdivided into two regions. In the similar manner, data can be moved fromthe left to the right region of the lower folder, or data of the lowerfolder can be moved to the upper folder. As a matter of course, the sameprinciple as described above is applied to the movement method in thiscase.

Various games can be implemented by using the dragging direction and themovement speed of the pointing device at one region formed as the touchpanel among the two display regions according to the concept of thepresent invention. For example, the user can play a game such that whenan arbitrary icon moves at an arbitrary speed on the display region ofthe upper folder, the pointing device at the lower folder is instantlybounced toward the corresponding icon. Namely, the present invention canbe applicable to games for which a movement speed and direction work asan important factor, such as bowling, a soccer game, a pool game or ashooting game.

FIGS. 7 e to 7 h show examples of games to which the principle of thepresent invention is applied.

First, as shown in FIGS. 7 e to 7 g, a soccer ball or a bowling balldisplayed on the touch panel can be displayed on the display of theupper folder according to an operation of the stylus pen or a movementof fingers as shown in FIGS. 7 f to 7 h. Not simply displaying the sameimages, but the soccer ball or the bowling ball are moved from the lowerfolder to the upper folder and displayed. In this case, it is assumedthat the dragging direction of signals inputted through the touch panelor calculation of a speed of movement can be performed by thecontroller.

FIGS. 7 i and 7 j shows examples for explaining an operational principleof the present invention. As shown in FIG. 7 i, data 311 is selected andmoved as long as ‘d’ by using the stylus pen 230. In this case, thecontroller checks whether the movement distance (d) satisfiesconditions. In order to discriminate it from data movement on the samedisplay, a movement mode or a menu for movement must be first set.Namely, in general, data movement on the touch panel is preferentiallyconsidered, but an additional mode or menu can be set to implement theoperations of the present invention. The moving data 312 is displayed solong as the stylus pen 230 contacts on the touch panel 220. Namely, whenthe stylus pen 230 becomes off the touch panel 220 after performingdragging for a certain distance, as shown in FIG. 7 j, the data 313 ismoved to be displayed on the upper display unit 210.

FIGS. 8 a to 10 c show various examples of outputting data on the touchpanel through the other display and substantial data movement inaccordance with the present invention.

First, with reference to FIG. 8 a, different directory information isdisplayed on the touch panel 220 of the lower folder 202 and the displayunit 210 of the upper folder 201. Arbitrary data 321 on the touch panel220 is selected by using the stylus pen. In this case, a targetdirectory to which the data 321 is to be moved should be displayed onthe display unit 210 of the upper folder 201.

When the arbitrary data is selected, an arrow mark 411 and a delete mark412 appear as shown in FIG. 8 b. According to circumstances, these markscan be previously displayed. The arrow mark 411 is selected by using thestylus pen 230. Then, the selected data 321 is moved from a ‘download’directory to a ‘prelude’ directory as shown in FIG. 8 c. This movementis displayed through the display unit 90 of the upper folder 201.

With reference to FIG. 9 a, there can be a case where differentdestinations should be simultaneously displayed on the display unit 90of the upper folder 201. Namely, two screens 211 and 212 showingdifferent paths can be displayed on the single display unit 90. Themovement target data 321 is selected by using the stylus pen 230. Theselected data 321 has a different color from other data. Subsequently,as shown in FIG. 9 b, the arrow mark or the delete mark is selectedaccording to a destination for movement. In the present embodiment, theselected data is moved to the directory of ‘prelude’ displayed on theright portion of the screen of the display unit 90. Accordingly, asshown in FIG. 9 c, a ‘cavalry’ file of the ‘download’ directory has beenmoved to the directory of ‘prelude’.

In the above-described embodiment of the present invention withreference to FIGS. 8 a to 9 c, the data is moved by using the arrow markindicating the direction. In this respect, if an additional mode or menuhas been set, data can be substantially moved by using an independentcondition or collective conditions such as the drag distance, pressure,the number of times, time or speed on the touch panel. In this case, ifthere are two or more destinations, the direction of dragging should besensed.

In a different embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 10a, the display unit 90 is formed as a touch panel. Data 321, a target tobe moved, is selected from a list of data displayed on the touch panel220 of the lower folder 202 by using the stylus pen 230. In this case,in order to discriminate the selected data, the data is displayed in adifferent color from other data.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10 b, a destination is selected from thedata list screen displayed in a tree structure on the touch panel 210 ofthe upper folder 210 by using the stylus pen 230. In this embodiment ofthe present invention, the data ‘cavalry’ is selected from the‘download’ directory and then moved to the ‘prelude’ directory. As aresult, as shown in FIG. 10 c, it can be noted that the data ‘cavalry’321 has been moved from the ‘download’ direction to the ‘prelude’directory. For user's clear recognition, the movement of data on thelower touch panel 220 and the upper touch panel 210 can be displayed asa slow motion in a panorama form as necessary.

According to circumstances, if the stylus pen includes particularbuttons (a functional button and a hot key) for movement and executionas shown in FIG. 11, the selected data can be executed through adifferent display unit or moved to a destination displayed on thedisplay unit by means of the stylus pen. In this case, the stylus penmust be set in advance to perform wired/wireless communication with theterminal

Here, a wired interface may be achieved via data connection line, and awireless interface may be achieved via Wi-Fi, Wi-MAX, Wi-BRO, a wirelessbroadband connection, or other types of technology that can handle datainformation communication. Also, said functional button may be mountedon a side of the mobile communication terminal so that the user can pushthe functional button while holding the terminal with one hand. Theinput device of foregoing embodiments are explained only with the stylusor user finger, however, the image manipulation illustrated inhereinabove may be executed with other type of audible, visual, and/ortactile input manner.

If one display region is displayed in a form of a thresh box, datadeletion can be easily processed. Namely, a series of general processesof pressing a right button of a mouse to fetch to display a pop-up menu,checking whether to delete particular data, receiving an acknowledgesignal, and processing it can be omitted to delete the data.

Also, during the data processing of the presented invention, automaticpause and save function may be applied to prevent unexpectedinterruption (e.g. a short message service (SMS), and a multimediamessage service (MMS), a graphic message, a voice message . . . etc)from other user.

Various modifications of the present invention can also be applied basedupon the basic concept of the presented invention.

Usually, due to the particular characteristics of a mobile communicationterminal, various aspects, such as mobility, limited processorcapabilities, restricted memory size, restrictions on battery powerconsumption, a relatively small-sized display screen, etc., need to beconsidered when implementing the present invention with consideration ofa balance of all these aspects mentioned above.

As to the limited capability of memory in mobile communication terminal,it can be understood that the amount of moved or copied image file sizebeing stored or display attributes [e.g. resolution] representing themoved or copied image may need to be restricted. For example, the imageresolution or data file size of the moved or copied image may be reduced(compressed) for storage so that more content can be stored into thememory. Although the image resolution may be degraded somewhat, the usermay nonetheless be satisfied that he or she may save more manipulatedimages into terminal storage and may retrieve a specific image quicklycompare to an image having a large file size. It is also required torestrict numbers of thumbnails or image editing functional menus oricons shown in display screen because of the limited size of the displayscreen in mobile communication terminal. For example, one can not ableto recognize the images properly when large number of thumbnails shownin small-sized display screen of mobile communication terminal. Also,due to the limitation of size of the display screen mounted in themobile terminal, It can be understood that a terminal with a singledisplay screen, which divides the single display screen into more thantwo portions, could perform equivalent function of the presentedinvention's dual display mobile communication terminal, as such anyarbitrary images, shown in a first portion of a display screen, whichare to be moved or be copied could shown in other portion of displayscreen with modified version of images.

The various features of the present invention may be further describedand explained in the following manner. Note that the element referencenumbers have not been specified, but may be clearly understood uponviewing the drawings and this overall disclosure.

The present invention provides a mobile communication apparatus,comprising: a transceiver to transmit and receive data; a memory tostore the data from the transceiver or from an external source; a bodywith a first display unit and a second display unit, wherein at leastone of the first and second display units allows touch sensitiveinputting; a display processor to display a first graphical element onthe first display unit that allows touch sensitive inputting; a inputdetector to detect a type of input received via the touch sensitiveinputting; a graphical processor to process the first graphical elementaccording to the detected type of input; and the display processor todisplay a second graphical element on the second display unit accordingto the processing.

The body can be opened such that two or more display units are visible,and closed such that only one or no display unit is visible and/or thebody can be unfolded such that two or more display units are visible toa user or folded such that neither display unit is visible to the user.Here, the first graphical element may be a still-image obtained via animage capturing device that is attached with the body and/or the firstgraphical element may be obtained from video data stored in the memorypreviously or from streaming data transmitted from the external source.As briefly mentioned hereinabove, the first graphical element may bedisplayed in thumbnail image format, where a total number/size of thethumbnail images allowed to be displayed is based on a displaycapability (e.g. display attributes, memory size, processor power,battery power . . . etc) of the mobile communication device. The secondgraphical element may be manipulated versions of the original image thatcorresponding to a specified graphical icon, folder, menu, and/or fileif the first graphical element is displayed in the form of a graphicalicon, a menu, a folder and/or a file.

It can be understood that various image processing functions (not justimage moving or image copying) can be applicable to the presentinvention, such as image manipulation, image modification, imagecomposition, etc. And, such image processing functions may performsemi-automatic with minimal possible user's intervention. Furthermore,not just still image but many different types of image (e.g., stillimages, video clips, animation or other moving image) can be moved orcopied.

The foregoing embodiments and advantages, which explained with figures,are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the presentinvention in one skilled in the ordinary art. The description of thepresent invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit thescope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variationswill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

As so far described, the mobile communication terminal in accordancewith the present invention has the advantage that data can be easilyprocessed by sufficiently using the two display regions.

To implement the various features described above, the present inventioncan employ various types of hardware and/or software components(modules). For example, different hardware modules may contain variouscircuits and components necessary to perform the steps of the abovemethod. Also, different software modules (executed by processors and/orother hardware) may contain various codes and protocols necessary toperform the steps of the present invention method.

Additionally, even though it would be too numerous to list all thefeatures and variations that can be implemented in mobile communicationterminals to accommodate and support the recent trend towardsconvergence of electronic and/or digital devices, those skilled in theart would easily understand that elements (i.e., hardware, software, ora combination thereof) that are equivalent to the function units and/ormodules described above may be implemented in the mobile communicationterminal 100 in accordance with the present invention.

The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and arenot to be construed as limiting the present invention. The presentteaching can be readily applied to other types of apparatuses. Thedescription of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, andnot to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications,and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In theclaims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structuredescribed herein as performing the recited function and not onlystructural equivalents but also equivalent structures.

1. An apparatus comprising: a display unit configured to outputinformation and to receive at least one touch input, wherein a first setof graphical icons are displayed on a first display area and a secondset of graphical icons are displayed on a second display area, whereinthe first display area and the second display area have an upper-lowerrelationship with respect to each other; and a controller configured tocooperate with the display unit in order to, detect said touch input ata specific location on the first display area resulting in selection ofa single graphical icon among the first set of graphical icons; verifythe selected single graphical icon as being moveable based onsatisfaction of a movement condition; detect a drag input on the firstdisplay area, the drag input resulting in dragging of the selectedsingle graphical icon from the specific location towards a particulardirection along the first display area; and display the selected singlegraphical icon as being moved into the second display area due to thedetected drag input, based on a threshold length on the first displayarea with respect to the dragging of the selected single graphical icon.2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the movement condition is satisfiedfor the selected single graphical icon as a result of being dragged upto a particular pre-set distance, being moved with an instantaneousspeed that exceeds a pre-set value, being pressed continuously for acertain time, being pressed for a certain number of times, being pressedwith a certain amount of pressure, or any combination thereof.
 3. Theapparatus of claim 2, wherein said controller is configured to cooperatewith the display unit in order to display the selected single graphicalicon in the second display area based on the detected drag inputexceeding the threshold length.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, whereinsaid controller is configured to cooperate with the display unit inorder to display the selected single graphical icon as being movedwithin the first display area based on the detected drag input notexceeding the threshold length.
 5. The apparatus of claim 4, whereinsaid controller is further configured to cooperate with the display unitsuch that the selected single graphical icon is visually distinguishedfrom non-selected graphical icons.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, whereinsaid controller is further configured to cooperate with the display unitsuch that the selected single graphical icon, being moved within thefirst display area or moved towards and into the second display area dueto the detected drag input, is displayed in a magnified manner.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 6, wherein said controller is further configured tocooperate with the display unit such that the selected graphical iconwhile being moved within the first display area or moved towards andinto the second display area due to the detected drag input, isdisplayed in a slower motion compared to a speed of the dragging of theselected single graphical icon.
 8. The apparatus of claim 7, whereinsaid touch input is provided via a stylus or via a user's body part. 9.The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said controller is further configuredto cooperate with the display unit such that an indication is displayedto indicate that the selected graphical icon is moveable based onsatisfaction of the movement condition.
 10. The apparatus of claim 9,wherein said controller is further configured to cooperate with thedisplay unit such that said indication is displayed in the form of anarrow icon, and user selection of said arrow icon results in movement ofthe particular graphical icon in a direction indicated by the arrowicon.
 11. A method comprising: displaying a first set of graphical iconson a first display area of a display unit that is configured to outputinformation and to receive at least one touch input; displaying a secondset of graphical icons on a second display area of said display unit,wherein the first display area and the second display area have anupper-lower relationship with respect to each other; detecting saidtouch input at a specific location on the first display area resultingin selection of a single graphical icon among the first set of graphicalicons; verifying the selected single graphical icon as being moveablebased on satisfaction of a movement condition; detecting a drag input onthe first display area, the drag input resulting in dragging of theselected single graphical icon from the specific location towards aparticular direction along the first display area; and displaying theselected single graphical icon as being moved into the second displayarea due to the detected drag input, based on a threshold length on thefirst display area with respect to the dragging of the selected singlegraphical icon.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the movementcondition is satisfied for the selected single graphical icon as aresult of being dragged up to a particular pre-set distance, being movedwith an instantaneous speed that exceeds a pre-set value, being pressedcontinuously for a certain time, being pressed for a certain number oftimes, being pressed with a certain amount of pressure, or anycombination thereof.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the selectedsingle graphical icon is displayed in the second display area based onthe detected drag input exceeding the threshold length.
 14. The methodof claim 13, wherein the selected single graphical icon is displayed asbeing moved within the first display area based on the detected draginput not exceeding the threshold length.
 15. The method of claim 14,wherein the selected single graphical icon is displayed as beingvisually distinguished from non-selected graphical icons.
 16. The methodof claim 15, wherein the selected single graphical icon, being movedwithin the first display area or moved towards and into the seconddisplay area due to the detected drag input, is displayed in a magnifiedmanner.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the selected graphical iconwhile being moved within the first display area or moved towards andinto the second display area due to the detected drag input, isdisplayed in a slower motion compared to a speed of the dragging of theselected single graphical icon.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein saidtouch input is provided via a stylus or via a user's body part.
 19. Themethod of claim 12, further comprising: displaying an indication toindicate that the selected graphical icon is moveable based onsatisfaction of the movement condition.
 20. The method of claim 19,wherein said indication is displayed in the form of an arrow icon, anduser selection of said arrow icon results in movement of the particulargraphical icon in a direction indicated by the arrow icon.